The scanner glowed blue in Victor's outstretched hand.
Jaxon sat motionless, blood crusted at the corner of his mouth, his gaze locked on Zara's. Even now, even here, he was telling her to be careful.
Zara took one step forward.
Her hand trembled as she raised it.
Victor motioned to his guards. "Release him."
The ropes were cut. Jaxon fell forward, barely catching himself on shaking legs.
"Let him walk out first," Zara said sharply, holding her finger just above the scanner.
Victor narrowed his eyes.
"You think I'll let my only leverage walk out before the prize is mine?"
Zara didn't blink. "Then you get nothing."
The tension crackled. Silence thick as smoke.
Then
Victor smiled. "Clever girl."
He waved his hand.
Jaxon stumbled forward, trying to reach her. Zara met him halfway, steadying him just long enough to press something into his palm.
The backup drive.
She whispered, "Run."
His eyes widened but she turned before he could speak.
She pressed her finger to the scanner.
Beep. Click.
The drive opened.
And Zara smiled.
Because she had lied.
Back at the safehouse, Ms. Quinn's laptop beeped.
A file decrypted itself remotely.
Labeled: "The Foundry: Phase Zero"
Inside names, locations, payments, and blueprints.
Everything.
The last key wasn't her fingerprint it was a delayed ping, triggered only after a fingerprint was scanned.
They thought they were unlocking it for themselves.
But she had set it to broadcast instead.
In the warehouse, alarms began to shriek from Victor's device.
His smile faded.
Zara stepped back. "Checkmate."
And from outside
Sirens.
Dozens.
Police. Federal agents. Journalists.
The whole damn world.
Victor lunged toward her, fury overtaking charm.
But Jaxon tackled him mid-sprint, dragging him down in a tangle of fists and rage.
Guards panicked. Chaos exploded.
Zara ran.
Jaxon caught up, bloody but alive, just as the first flood of lights lit up the door.
They burst out of the warehouse, breathless, as cameras flashed and shouts rang out
And for the first time in weeks, Zara saw daylight.